Banished
by Craig Byrne
Summary: This is the story of the day that Lionel Luthor "banished" his son to the "crap factory" in Smallville. It takes place two weeks before the "today" portion of the "Smallville" pilot episode.


"Banished" by Craig Byrne (PlanetKrypton@aol.com -- http://www.kryptonsite.com)  
  
[Kat "SullivanLane" Picson at the KryptonSite Fanfic Boards challenged posters to write a story that takes place before the "today" portion of the Pilot... this one is mine.]  
  
The LuthorCorp Tower was the highest building in Metropolis. Lionel Luthor bought it in the late 1980s, soon after Fortune magazine deemed him one of the country's wealthiest men.  
  
At any point in Metropolis, the tower could be seen. The tower was built in the 1960's by automobile industrialists. The sub-garages beneath the building, in fact, were used to manufacture many test automobiles.  
  
To Lex Luthor, the tower was a home away from home. Sure, the Luthors owned an estate right outside of town -- and they owned fifteen other homes across the world -- but the tower was where Lex would stay after long nights at Club Zero or elsewhere.  
  
Lex looked over at the calendar -- October 1, 2001. Lex had recently turned twenty-one, and he felt that his potential was fading. He had received an early degree in business from a very pristigious school in Gotham. But to his father, he was a joke. To the people of Metropolis, those who knew him, he was beginning to look like the careless billionaire's son. Was there a point?  
  
Lex opened the sliding glass door to the porch outside of his father's penthouse at the tower. He felt the breeze go by. He had to have been over eighty stories into the sky. He looked down at the cars moving. From this perspective the buttons on Lex's shirt looked bigger than the cars below. But they were busy, and alas, he was not.  
  
He knew he could change his situation at any given moment, but would it be futile? Is his ambition to take over his father's company, or would that go to the brown-nosers that his father called "executives"? Would Lex Luthor EVER gain his acceptance?  
  
Lex decided it may not be worth it. He stepped up onto the ledge. Would now be the time to jump, to end it all? Lex started to make his decision, when he heard the sliding glass door open quickly and a man screaming.  
  
"Lex, you get down here this instant!" Lex turned around. It was his father.  
  
"What, afraid I'm joing to jump, Dad? You'd have a hard time covering that one up, wouldn't you?" Lex sneered. "Nah, that would be too easy." Lex got down.  
  
"Son, I've had enough of your stunts. Do you realize how much I'm paying Phelan to keep you out of the papers? And what of Enrique, your place is constantly a mess, beer bottles, undergarments... Lex, when will it stop?"  
  
"When you start to like it," Lex said. "We couldn't have that."  
  
"Lex... you know I am only hard on you because I know what's good for you," Lionel said.  
  
"Riiight. And here I thought it was just because you were such a charming individual."  
  
"Enough of the back talk, Lex. Follow me into my office," Lionel ordered.  
  
Lex walked back toward the ledge. "But jumping would be more fun." The sarcasm seethed through his voice in such a way that one would sometimes be unsure of Lex's sincerity.  
  
"Now. I have a business proposition."  
  
Lex was intrigued. His father -- extending a chance to actually participate in the company that shares his name? "OK, I'm all ears," Lex said, following him in.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Lionel laid out several folders and graphs onto his desk. "Lex, we need to talk about one of our satellite plants. We need someone to run it, and I think you'd be just the one for the job."  
  
Lex looked at his father. His voice was slightly shaking; he was up to something. "And where is this 'satellite office', may I ask? Coast City? Bludhaven?"  
  
"No, this one's in Smallville."  
  
Lex feigned surprise. "You're banishing me to the crap factory?"  
  
"'The crap factory', as you call it, is worth ten million dollars to LuthorCorp. We need someone to make sure it stays in proper shape. And besides..." Lionel looked deeply at his son. "...You wouldn't do anything to affect the family business now, would you? You're not banished; you're just... reassigned."  
  
"What's in it for me?" Lex asked.  
  
"Near complete control of thea plant, a chance to be established. You can stay at the ancestral home," Lionel told him.  
  
"Oh, you mean the one you've never been in. Right."  
  
"Don't take that tone with me," Lionel warned. "I'm offering you this opportunity, you can take it or leave it. Although I'd advise that you wouldn't leave it, there may be... unfortunate side effects."  
  
The idea that his father would threaten him disturbed Lex. He knew his father wanted him as far out of his sight as possible. But something seemed to encourage Lex to go for it. "I'll do it," Lex announced.  
  
Lionel was taken slightly aback. He expected a fight out of his son.  
  
"Although, I intend to be transferred back to Metropolis as soon as I get it in shape, which by my estimate won't be very long. And don't pull any funny business," Lex said. With that he exited the room without saying goodbye.  
  
Lionel Luthor felt victory. But was the victory his?  
  
Several floors below, Lex entered an office and opened a suitcase. Inside were plans and profit reports for the Smallville plant. Further examination showed a report, prepared by Lex himself, showing how he could turn the plant around, and in the end, be able in a position to usurp his father's power. Lex grinned. Phase One was complete. 


End file.
